Why Governments Protect Animals

To clear the record….We can hurt nature

• Nature can fix itself.• We can break it faster.

Buffalo

• 70-150 million lived in 1830• 2,500,000 hunted between 1870 and 1875• 1,000 left in 1900• Protected in 1902• 250,000 alive today

Dodo

• Discovered 1581• Imported animals (dogs, pigs, cats, rats)

brought by humans destroyed their nests• We deforested their habitat• All dead by late 1600’s

Bald Eagle

• 1700’s : 300,000 – 500,000• 1950’s : 412 nesting pairs• 1967’s : ENDANGERED• 1992 : 110,000 – 115,000• 1995 : Declassified

Why do we care?

• Case study: Look at the bees!– Reports of 45-90% reduction of bees in Winter

2007– Normally there’s only 25% reduction….

The Good:

• Picnics without fear of stinging!

The Bad

• No Honey!• We don’t know how to pollinate other plants!

Say Goodbye to…

• Almonds

Say Goodbye to…

• Peaches

Say Goodbye to….

• Soybeans

Say Goodbye to….

• Apples

Say Goodbye to….

• Pears

Say Goodbye to….

• Cherries

Say Goodbye to….

• Raspberries

Say Goodbye to….

• Blackberries

Say Goodbye to….

• Cranberries

Say Goodbye to….

• Watermelons

Say Goodbye to….

• Cantaloupes

Say Goodbye to….

• Cucumbers

Say Goodbye to….

• Strawberries

Say Goodbye to….

• Money• $15 Billion of Fruits and Vegetables will be lost

• If getting rid of one annoying insect screws up dozens of fruits, what impact does losing just one those fruit have?

• Eventually, even bacon eaters will be screwed!– Hint: Politicians LOVE bacon!

• And we will all die.

That is why governments protect animals

• A dying voter is an unhappy voter.• Also, killing off $15 Billion of farming industry

will hurt the farmer vote.